Roblox Begins Video Selfie Age Checks, Places Younger Users in Restricted Accounts and Reports Drop in Daily Users
Roblox began using facial age estimation in April to place players under 16 into Select accounts and those under 9 into Kids accounts. The company reported a drop in daily users after the change.
The VergeRoblox began sorting players into age-restricted account types in April using video selfie facial analysis. Users under 16 now receive Select accounts and users under 9 receive Kids accounts, both with limits on chat and certain games. Roblox vice president of safety product policy Eliza Jacobs told NBC News the company is optimistic the technology will continue to improve.
4 years of a child's exact age. Jacobs stated that self-reported age is no longer sufficient. "Ticking a box to say you're 13 or older, it's not enough anymore," she said.
NBC News invited children to test the video selfie process. The children were unable to bypass the checks with a fake mustache. Players can also verify age with a government ID or have parents manually set the age group.
In April, Roblox reported a drop in daily users after the age checks began. Jacobs said the company maintains a long-term vision for safety and civility. "We have a long-term vision of safety and civility on the platform that we're building towards that we believe in," she said.
She added that it is acceptable if some users remain unhappy with the restrictions. The Verge reported the details of the rollout and the NBC News demonstration.
